The Latin word for "breath" or "spirit" was anima. Another Latin word, animositatem, was formed from anima and meant "full of spirit" or "lively." The English word animosity comes from these words. In the English spoken in the 1400s, "animosity" meant "liveliness, strength, or courage." Since then, its meaning has changed. "Animosity" is now a word for ill will or strong dislike.